The Ring of Love and Friendship
Source: Speak Up
Language Level: Advanced
Standard: British Accent
The Ring of Love and Friendship
The Irish word “Claddagh” means “Stony shore.” In century past the “Claddagh” was a famous fishing village, just across the river Corrib from Galway city. Its elected leader, the “King of Claddagh,” ruled the fishing fleet in Galway Bay and settled disputes.
Today visitors still go to Claddagh to see its swans, and to enjoy a good view of Galway city, but the village’s old mud-wall cottages have been replaced by modern housing.
The “King of Claddagh” is now an honorary title. The current King of Claddagh is Michael Linsky, who naturally wore his Claddagh Ring when we met him in the museum room of Thomas Dillon’s, the longest-established Claddagh jewellers. As Michael explained, the ring consists of a heart held by two hands with a crown on top.
Michael Linsky
Standard Irish accent.
The heart is for love of course, the crown is for loyalty, and the hands are for friendship. Now, love, as you know, will wane, as time goes on, loyalty will always be under pressure, but friendship never dies, it’s the one thing that will linger on.
THE STUFF OF LEGEND
There are many legends connected with the Claddagh Ring. One says that in the 17th century a young man from Galway, Richard Joyce, was kidnapped by pirates and sold to a Moorish master goldsmith, who taught him the craft. When Joyce returned to Galway, he presented his faithful lover with a gold ring with the now famous design.
The story of Michael Linsky’s family is also very romantic. When Michael’s mother, a Claddagh woman, left for Boston in 1912, she was booked on the Titanic. Luckily, The Titanic was full, and she went to Boston on a different ship. Michael’s father joined the British Army and fought in the First World War and his mother and father wrote to each other for nine years. Later, in the “Hungry Thirties, when Michael grew up, most Claddagh women had a Claddagh ring, as well as their plain gold wedding hand. Life was difficult and many people pawned their rings in order to pay for a ship passage for America. Today the ring remains popular as a symbol of love and friendship. It’s worn by people everywhere and it is said that some 200 Claddagh Rings were found in the rubble of the World Trade Center. In spite of that sad statistic, the Claddagh ring is generally seen as a source of happiness:
Michael Linsky:
Where it originated is a bit of a mystery, but it’s one of the most popular rigns in the world. I mean, any country I’ve been…and I’ve been into quite a few, off and on, and I often met somebody with a Claddagh Ring, and suddenly we’d have a big conservation: “Oh, where are you from?” “Ah, yeah?” So… we’d be starting to talk, and it was the ring that introduced us in its own pirate, silent way.
The Magic Ring
The Claddagh Ring represents marriage, engagement or friendship. It consists of a crown over a heart, which is held by two hands. The crown symbolizes loyalty, the heart is for love and the two hands are for friendship. If the ring is worn on the left-hand ring finger, facing away from the body, then the wearer is engaged: if the ring is worn on the same finger (but the wearer is married. On the right hand, the ring facing outwards means “free,” while, if the ring faces inwards, it means “in love.”
Where to Buy a Claddagh Ring
There are many jewellers in Galway selling Claddagh Rings, but the longest-established (1750) is Dillon’s, now at n° 1, Quay Street, the main shopping street. A room at the back tells the history of the ring and the Claddagh area in photos and memorabilia. It also shows the ring through the ages (including the smallest Cladddagh Ring in the World). Check the website www.claddaghring.ie for a list of their famous client Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria, Grace Kelly and John Wayen. By the way, Jim Morrison of the Doors and his girlfriend exchanged Claddagh Rings during their “Pagan wedding.”
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